Whether He Can See

[plumtreeblossom]

I think little Benjamin's eyesight is failing him.

I've been noticing for a while that his pupils are always dialated fully. I chalked it up to the general low lighting in our apartment, but I didn't put 2 and 2 together until this morning, when I used the very bright flashlight Jay gave me to test his pupil response. No contraction whatsoever. I compared this to Rowley's pupils, which contracted to slits as he squinted away from the light. Same with my own pupil. But Benjamin actually leaned into the bright light, like he was trying to see it.

That icon photo of him was taken a few months ago, and the alien green glow of his eyes are his fully dialated pupils, while looking at the flash. I didn't make the connection until now.

But he does seen to have some vision. He responds to shadows, and if I pass a hand shadow over his face, he follows it.

I know blindness doesn't prevent an indoor-only cat from living a happy and comfortable life. But I need to get his eyes checked, so I can best find ways to care for him and keep him safe.

Comments

[smacaski.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's too bad. My poor kitty Telly had been an outdoor cat until his eyesight went, then he became indoors, although we let him outside onto our porch. He got around okay for a while using his whiskers and other senses, so as you say, Benjamin can continue leading a happy kitty life.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I think he'll be fine with or without sight. There's so little to see in this apartment anyway. He knows where his food and litter are, and with the way he follows me all around, he knows where his mama is, too. He doesn't need sight for that. :-)

[billie0.livejournal.com]

My cat Boo is blind. He gets on fine. He is of course and indoor cat. I just make sure I don't put things in his way that could injure him. He still manages to play with his toys and finds his way around the apartment fine.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

BenBen's other senses seem fine, and he has more than a decade's experience getting around this apartment, so I think he'll be fine even if he stops being able to see the shadows. So glad your Boo kitty has adjusted well!

[beowabbit]

Oh, weird! I haven’t noticed any hints of vision trouble, but then, he’s never been as visually attentive as Rowley.

You sure he’s not just hopped up on illicit kitty narcotics?

Love my honeywuzzle kitty-mommy!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Both kitties are here on my desk as I type. Wait, now they've both jumped off and are now having a punch bowl party at the toilet. I've no doubt Benjamin will be fine with or without sight.

Wow, now I need a lolcat userpic that says "NOT LOOKING."

Love my biggest fuzzy darling. :-)

[heatherp8.livejournal.com]

Our little Helen is blind in one eye and slowly losing sight in the other one as well. I think she can still see shadows but she does have a difficult time distinguishing things sometimes.
Hugs to your Benjamin.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Hugs back to your kitties!

[jimmystagger.livejournal.com]

Awwww the tuxedo cat! I hope it isn't too bad. He's such a cute little gato.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I think he'll be fine even if he eventually is blind. We'll just have to give him a cool blind blues singer's nickname. And you need to come visit the kitties, and me and CDK! It's been too long!

[kencf0618.livejournal.com]

Tequila has glaucoma in one eye, but even if he were blind he'd still paw at me to wake me up whenever he's hungry!

[kalibex.livejournal.com]

Even if he is, they've got their mad smelling skillz to fall back on, and hearing, and....

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

I'm so sorry.

I know he can get by just fine, but if his pupils are not responding to bright light, he probably is blind.

But then again, cats have really weird vision, so maybe he still has some.

I'd like to meet him some day.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

::hugs you and sends some to Benjamin::

Nothing to add; I'm glad that he's an indoor kitty and that he has you. ;-)